This invention relates to steering systems and, more particularly, to steering systems for vehicles including a steerable dirigible wheel unit located remotely from the operator's steering control.
Vehicles such as riding lawn mowers, industrial lift trucks and the like commonly include a rear dirigible wheel unit which is actuated by a steering wheel located some distance away at the front of the vehicle. Various steering systems have been used for operatively connecting the steering wheel to the dirigible wheel unit including hydraulic and electro-mechanical systems which are quite expensive, steering gear and mechanical linkage systems which generally are not suitable unless there is little or no obstruction between the steering wheel and the dirigible wheel unit, and cable and pulley systems which require the cables to be kept quite tight in order to prevent slippage; a troublesome requirement with changes in ambient temperatures.
Representative prior constructions of steering systems including cables and/or sprockets chains are disclosed in the following United States patents:
______________________________________ Patentee Patent No. Issue Date ______________________________________ McCoy 809,072 Jan. 2, 1906 Armstrong 1,753,039 April 1, 1930 Thomas 3,248,123 April 26, 1966 Ulinski 3,364,781 Jan. 23, 1968 Allison 3,869,138 March 4, 1975 Goering 3,888,135 June 10, 1975 Atkins et al 4,040,375 Aug. 9, 1977 ______________________________________